223 has served me well.

[entropy]

I use to think the same thing till one day on a hunt with a 22-250. Almost always used head shots or behind the ear. A big Axis buck with a nice rack showed up that I was not expecting. Well not wanting to mess up the head for a mount I took a behind the head neck shot. He went down and got right back up so I popped him again and he goes down gets up and is getting around on 2 front legs. Popped him again and down for good...Never again will I take a .22 Cal on a deer hunt. There is no need for all of that when I can dispatch one with a much more efficient caliber in one shot...

I highly doubt it was the caliber's inadequacy at fault. Perhaps anatomical differences between Axis deer and your regular target could account for your results, or some other factor....

 

[Hookeye]

I still want enough oomph to offer wider shot selection and or insurance should something go less than planned.

Hunting can be quite varied.
Kicking up a good buck vs shopping for doe meat from a blind.

I hope to zip a doe one day w a .256 win (grill fodder from a blind).
Would not use such an anemic cartridge for general deer/buck hunting.

Don't have my own place where I can do QDM and hunt as often as I like.
As such I may have lesser opps, and need to capitalize one whatever is offered come antler time. Bigger is better for me there IMHO

 

[Hookeye]

My latest yote rifle is...................223

Not an AR fan. Not a .223 fan.
But that combo is just too good to ignore

 

[Chuck R.]

My latest yote rifle is...................223

Not an AR fan. Not a .223 fan.
But that combo is just too good to ignore

Agreed, and AR in .223 is what I grab about 95% of the time when I go coyote hunting. Really is a great combination when calling.

I was just out on the back deck shooting steel at 400 and 547 with one of my bolt .223s and 69 TMKs, the 17 MPH winds were just to tempting not to get some practice in.

 

[buck460XVR]

If it works well for you and you are happy, what difference does it make what others use/think? I know folks that have never used anything other than a .223 for deer and folks that would never consider using it for deer. Their gun, their hunt.....their choice. This fall I am taking my 10 year old grand-daughter hunting. Last year she sat in the blind with me but did not have the confidence or desire yet to use a gun herself. This year she does and has been practicing with her dad's .223 AR platform. She's gotten very proficient and shots from my deer blind will be 100 yards or less. Should be all she needs. But most of all, it's what she has been getting confident with and it fits her well. The little recoil helps too.